By Bill Nye | Published: July 20, 2010 – 9:04 pm

On July 20^th, we commemorate an historic event in the history of humankind and of science. Forty-one years ago, humans walked on the Moon, the Earth’s Moon– our Moon.

It took enormous resources and people willing to work long hours and take some big risks. The Moon landings were a result of the Cold War. It became a competition to see who could build the biggest number of history’s deadliest rockets. Along with that was a push to gain the ultimate high ground – space. The Moon became the highest of the high. The United States mobilized a tremendous corps of workers, built big rockets, and got it done. The Soviet Union went out of business about twenty years later. But despite the politics, it was the most exciting thing ever.

For many days after the successful landing and return of the Apollo 11 crew, everyone on Earth shared that spirit of excitement. After twelve people landed on the Moon and returned safely to Earth, interest in expensive journeys to visit the “magnificent desolation” of the Moon waned. Instead, we have sent well over 100 spacecraft there to learn more of the Moon’s makeup and its past, which you have to figure, is our planet’s past as well.

Spaceflight around the Earth, in what’s called “Low Earth Orbit” (LEO) has become routine. More than 500 people have flown in space. We at the Planetary Society (planetary.org) are hoping humankind sets out on new space journeys to new hardly-known places in space. There are asteroids headed our way. There is a great deal to be learned from the climate of Venus. And, who knows? Life on Earth may have gotten started on Mars. Wouldn’t it be something to go there and have a look around?

So, take a moment this week and reflect on how far we’ve come as a species and how much we don’t know about our planetary home. Our relationship to our Earth, our Moon, and our neighboring planets helps us understand how very special the Earth is. The people who helped humankind land on the Moon 41 years ago were explorers. Their adventures and the discoveries they made changed the world for all of us. This week, let’s celebrate our place in space.

Filed under: Space